The Arkansas Game and Fish Commission (AGFC) is considering a proposal to adjust the dates for the 2027 turkey hunting season, moving the season one week earlier for most of the state. The proposal was introduced at the Commission’s meeting on Thursday during the Generation Conservation Summit held at the Hot Springs Convention Center and Bank OZK Arena.
The proposed adjustments in season dates are as follows:
- **Zone 1:** April 12-May 2, 2027 - **Zone 1A:** April 12-20, 2027 - **Zones 2 and 3:** April 5-25, 2027 - **Zone 2A:** April 5-13, 2027 - **Youth Turkey Hunt (All Zones):** April 3-4, 2027
The recommendation stems from discussions within the AGFC’s Regulations and Resource Management Committee, which followed a presentation by former commissioners Jim Hinkle and Ken Reeves. Both emphasized the importance of aligning hunting opportunities with peak turkey activity.
Reeves highlighted the excitement hunters experience when interacting with active turkeys, saying, “The thrill of turkey hunting is getting to call at a gobbling turkey; there’s nothing like it. When you hit that call and one gobbles right top of it, that’s what we live for.”
Hinkle underscored the limited nature of the change and the commitment to monitoring its effects. “I think this is a minimal change that we are asking for,” he said. “If you came to us a year from now and said, ‘This didn’t work; it hurt our population;’ we’re for the birds.”
The AGFC has clarified that no additional regulation changes are being proposed for turkey hunting outside of this adjustment. Public feedback on the proposed changes is being collected through an online survey, which can be accessed at [this link](https://agfc1.az1.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_0UhKPBHRp0BBNVI). The Commission will review comments submitted during the 30-day feedback period.
Any final decisions on the revised season dates will be made following the conclusion of the public comment process.